People from all walks of life have been impacted by the global pandemic. The newest numbers say that some 26 million Americans have lost their jobs because of the virus.
However, there are certain jobs and sectors that have received even greater damage than most others. One of those jobs is in the arts – the newest survey from Americans for the Arts report that two-thirds of artists are without work, and 95% have less income due to the pandemic.
The arts is a sector already notorious for unstable employment. However, many say that the situation has gotten worse because of the nature of their work. Ellis Greer, a costume designer for theater productions, shared her story in an interview with NPR.
Greer said that her contract with the Utah Shakespeare Festival was terminated by one phone call from the festival’s art director. Although the festival itself is scheduled to occur, the show that she had signed a contract for was cancelled. Thus, in just a few minutes, she lost the source of income that she had in mind for this summer.
Moreover, Greer says that she also misses the the personal interaction involved in stage productions. The nature of her work meant that she was used to spending hours with like-minded individuals to create the best show they can. The fateful phone call took away the social aspect out of her life as well.
Greer’s case is far from an isolated example. The same survey from the Americans for the Arts said that on average, artists were expecting $24,000 this year, which is a sharp decline compared to their expectations prior to the pandemic.
Contrary to popular opinion, the arts contribute greatly to the US economy. The National Endowment for the Arts estimates that the arts generate some $760 billion every year for the US. That would make the arts bigger than agriculture or transportation.
However, the relief fund that was allocated to the arts was at a meagre $250 million. Although this amount pales in comparison to other sectors, some people found that even that was too much for what they deemed not important.
Greer told NPR that she does not expect to return to work for some time, especially not before any vaccines for treatments are created. She is planning to return to her parents in Tennessee.
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Replaced!